As a five-time winner of Crain’s New York Business “Best Places to Work in NYC” survey, Intent Media sought a dynamic approach to the recent renovation of its offices located near New York’s Hudson Square. Local design studio JIDK was enlisted to transform a traditional, segmented space formerly occupied by architectural firm Spacesmith into an open, non-hierarchical environment with unique and whimsical touches that elegantly reflect the company’s corporate culture and standards.
“For us, this was the project where we got to do all the things that we would like to see in a modern office,” explained Thomas Jensen, founder of JIDK. “Thinking of the office as this place where you work, but your work is not tied to your desk; it is tied to the people around you, and you move throughout the day with them. [The client was] very receptive to that kind of thinking. It’s how they work already, and I think that’s what made this such a good project.”
Visitors enter the 25,000-square-foot space via a reception and waiting area beneath a skylight. Around the corner, a short hallway of meeting rooms leads to an open workspace with phone booths and conference rooms. An expansive canteen section with a stage, projector, and tiered seating can be found nearby.
A large birch staircase leads to the main workspace of the second floor, complete with fully height-adjustable workstations, a standup meeting room, phone rooms, a lounge, lockers, and diner booths with reclaimed wood tops.
In terms of JIDK’s approach to product and furniture specifications, Jensen said, “a lot of the priorities were about giving people the best possible individual work stations—great light, access to windows, height-adjustable desks, quality chairs. We started with workstations, and because they were height-adjustable, we spent a good chunk of our budget there. So we had to be a little clever on the remaining furniture.”
To further Intent Media’s mission, the former tenant’s exclusive corner office with a private bathroom was transformed into a lounge and game room now filled with large sofas and bean bag chairs. Additionally, several spray art murals completed by employees decorate the space, emphasizing the company’s collaborative culture. Other artwork, such as the large, inflatable Koons-esque balloon dog, is referential to the company’s dog-friendly policy.
“The big inflatable dog was a Jeff Koons joke,” Jensen quipped. “We really wanted a Jeff Koons sculpture but that would have cost more than the entire project budget.”
The color palette of the space also reflects this playful attitude while increasing wayfinding efficiency. Primary work zones are grounded by shades of calming blue while the various breakout spaces sport orange and red carpet, believed to boost creativity and collaboration. Meanwhile, tertiary zones such as the yoga/gaming studio have purple carpet, conducive for active work.
JIDK’s design and attention to detail transformed the Intent Media office into a perfect reflection of contemporary office ideals, promoting a dynamic, efficient, and enjoyable workday for all.
Tucker Side Table
By Poppin
The Tucker Side Table features a durable laminate top that’s ideal for keeping a notebook or drink close at hand.
Buttercup Chair
By Blu Dot
The striking bent plywood of the Buttercup chair adds a touch of elegance to impromptu meeting rooms like this one.
Cycle Pendant Lighting
By Eureka
The perfectly diffused direct/indirect illumination of Cycle creates a luminous halo that fills large spaces with presence and simplicity.
Couchoid Sofa
By Blu Dot
The Couchoid sofa features simple yet attractive shapes with high resiliency foam for support atop a stainless steel base.
Cohort Carpet
By Bentley Mills
Bentley’s Cohort carpet is designed as a near-solid offering that can either coordinate with other products or stand alone as it does here, introducing pops of color at Intent Media.
Lisboa Chairs
By Resol Grupo
The stackable indoor/outdoor Lisboa chair integrates into spaces easily while adding a touch of sophistication.
Ocala tables
By Symmetry Office
Ocala is a nesting flip-top table that offers plenty of convenience in large meeting spaces without sacrificing a clean aesthetic.
Quorum table
By Groupe Lacasse
Adaptable to new technologies, the Quorum Conference Table can be configured in different shapes and sizes for complete versatility.
Clarity Chair
By Allsteel
The Clarity Chair’s streamlined aesthetic goes everywhere from casual brainstorm spaces to formal conference rooms and elegant private offices.
Booth Table
By NYCitySlab
Most of the responsibly harvested, old-growth trees in these wood slabs are sourced within 20 miles of NYC, tying in the locale to Intent Media’s
new home in the Big Apple.
Pangen Suspension Lamp
By Fontana Arte
The Pangen suspension lamp features a fluid, minimal dome shape with a lacquer finish and modern colors that add style and proper lighting to this lounge.
Block Party Sofa
By Poppin
The Block Party Sofa is the solution for impromptu meetings or out-of- the-box thinking, a perfect match for Intent Media’s creative team.
Photography by Peter Kubilus
